Mammography is currently the method of choice for screening for breast cancer. However, other breast imaging exams are often used to supplement the mammogram when further evaluation is necessary. For example, an ultrasound is typically used for further evaluation of lesions found on a mammography or palpable lesions not seen on mammograms. Ultrasounds are also used to image the dense breasts of young women (i.e., 30-50 years of age) and especially for cyst and fibroderma cases which are usually hard to find by palpation or by other imaging modalities. Magnetic resonance images (MRIs) can be useful for further evaluation of questionable findings, as MRIs have superior detection sensitivity due to topographic properties, larger field of view and greater soft tissue contact. Research has shown that 10-30% of lesions missed by mammography are visible in an MRI.
To include all of the advantages of the various modalities, physicians currently read MRIs accompanied with mammograms and/or ultrasounds. This is a time consuming and difficult process. Moreover, breast lesions in the MRIs, mammograms and/or ultrasounds need to be detected and classified in an expeditious and accurate manner.